To love or not to Love

A detailed Summary of To love or not to Love


In William Blake's "The Clod and the Pebble," the Clod of Clay and the Pebble have opposing views of love. The Clod sees love from an optimist's view while the Pebble sees love from a pessimist's point of view.

The Clod of Clay sings his verse about love; "So sung the Clod of Clay" (347). This gives a sense of jubilation. The idea of song is associated with happiness and glee. This gives the impression that the Clod is happy and that the things of which he is singing are also happy.

The Clod of Clay is also described as "Trodden with the cattle's feet" (347). The Clod has been stepped on, though he does not seem to mind. The Clod is very optimistic. He knows that his purpose is to be stepped on. He doesn't resent his place in the world. He can see past his purpose and find meaning in his life beyond his job.

The Clod's song about love says love is a wonderful and beautiful thing. He says "Love seeketh not itself to please, / Nor for itself hath any care"


When the Pebble says "And builds a Hell in Heaven's Despite" (347), he means that love disturbs a peaceful life. He is saying that love, in the midst of happiness and hope, brings pain and suffering. The Pebble only sees how love can break hearts when they are so vulnerable. Love can make a person helpless, weak, and powerless.

Reader. Caroline Shrodes, et al. 7th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1998. 347

The Pebbles warble about love says love is a dismal and dreary thing. He says "Love seeketh only Self to please, / To bind another to its delight" (347). The Pebble is saying love is selfish. When a person is in love, he or she desires only to be made happy by his partner. A person in love is only looking for the ways in which his partner could fulfill his desires. The Pebble warbles, "Joy in another's loss of ease" (347). This means someone in love expects his partner to give up her simple life of being alone to share it with him. He expects to have an undisturbed life.

The Clod

Some common words found in the essay are:
Clod Clay, Clod's Pebble, Heaven Hell's, Heaven's Despite, Clay Pebble, Caroline Shrodes, 347 means, clod clay, 347 means love, Allyn Bacon, person love, means love, love love, saying love, pebble brook, Clod Pebble, person love desires, ease 347, love desires, please /, ease 347 means,

Approximate Word count = 668
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

join now Save Paper

Related Essays

  • love is not a universal value Love is not a universal value. ... Surely, love is not a universal value. Not only genders, but there are also difference between cultures. ... 1474 words
  • True Love I think Not Raymon Carver ... This quote points out that the sentimental love is not all there. ... We can conclude the man only has physical love for his wife but not true love. ... 1028 words
  • True Love ... I think the culture they lived in often just forced or rushed them to get married, and getting a divorce was unheard of, so true love was not found often. ... 623 words
  • Daisy does not love Gatsby Daisy Does Not Love Gatsby The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald is based upon three characters involved in a love triangle. ... 313 words
  • Love:What is it ... life with. To me love is not just a feeling, but it is the way that you treat that special someone that you care for. Treating them ... 367 words

Professional Essays

  • Love in The Merchant of Venice ... True love is not interested in self or concerned about what is offered in return it just loves unconditionally, expecting and needing nothing back. ... 999 words
  • Love ... This is not a love that is pretty and romantic. Inherent in this love is the desire by the father, ampquota highranking provincial official. . ... 1590 words
  • Love ... that this is something that is at least based in reality makes the story both more compelling and far more disturbing, for it is a story not of love gone right ... 951 words
  • Love and Possession ... it must end because it is a retelling of all the stories about how men take revenge on each other in the name of love, even though love is not precisely the ... 1859 words
  • Romeo and Juliet: Conception of Love ... the fair but disdainful Rosaline. This kind of love does not produce enthusiasm or beauty, however. Instead, it feels and acts like ... 1582 words
  • A Midsummer Nightamp39s Dream ... true loveampquot and shows that not all love is true and that a rocky road faces anyone who believes himself to be in love, whether it proves to be true love or not. ... 1590 words


Saved Paper

Save your papers so you can locate them quickly!

Newest Essays

Testimonials

  • "Thank You So Much!!! You have saved me once again!!!"
    Jack M.
  • "With so many papers to chose from, I was able to get ideas to help me with all of my classes. Thank You!"
    Brian P.
  • "I've used this site for the last 3 years to help me come up with ideas for my papers."
    Sara J.
  • "I use this site every week to help me write my own papers!"
    Rachel W.
  • "I love this site!!!"
    Marie N.
Home Join Now Support
Acceptable Use Policy About us FAQ
All papers are for research and reference purposes only!
© 2002-2009 DirectEssays.com. All Rights Reserved.